Akron defeated Kent State for the MAC Championship ~ Go Zips!

I tweeted this last night, but I should do a post because it's worthy.  I only watched the last couple of minutes of regulation and the entire overtime, but I want to say congratulations to my Akron Zips on defeating the Kent State University Golden Flashes for the 2011 MAC Championship.  As a result of winning the MAC Championship, the Zips punched their tickets to the Big Dance... 

March Madness is a rarity for my alma mater compared to my brother's school (i.e. Duke) so I'll take the victories I can.  ****  Don't get it twisted.  I was accepted into a number of other schools but my dad wanted me to become a doctor and sent me a school where I could complete an accelerated BS/MD program and become a doctor in 6 years instead of 8.  I'm starting to digress and this has nothing to do with sports ~ but let's make it clear...  I'm SMART.  I went to medical school ~ I just didn't want to stay, once I got there.

For those of you that don't know, Akron and Kent State are close to each other.  Most nights you can find students from either school out and about in the other city.  I found the match-up interesting because of the degree program I was in.   ****  Three schools:  Youngstown State University, Kent State, and the University of Akron were a consortium that fed into one medical school.  When I attended the school, it was named: Northeastern Universities College of Medicine.  Incidentally, I think they've renamed it recently.  But I digress again....

Final score of the game was 66-65.  Akron won, and I took $20 from a Kent State alumnus.  It was a good night!

****  Here's some trivia: Jason Taylor, the football player went to Akron when I was there.  Yes, that really good basketball player was born in Akron also...  Who am I talking about?  Stephen Curry of course.  Who were you thinking of?


THE WIRK

LeBron James: Home ~ More Than A Player

So, the folks at Central Graphics Group in Ohio have been busy... 

Actually that may be a huge understatement, considering there are a handful of other NBA teams (i.e. New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, etc.) playing the free agent lottery.  Rather than focus on earning potential and celebrity it appears that Cleveland has focused on one concept ~ HOME.  The concept of HOME:  More Than A Player, is a message that EVERYONE can relate to. 

Yes, Cleveland is a smaller market than New York.  However, Cleveland/Akron is home to LeBron and for a man that grew up in the area and has given so much back ~ I'd imagine that HOME is where the heart is.  LeBron isn't like the average person.  Just because some folks out there aspire to live in New York and/or visit New York ~ doesn't mean that he wants to LIVE there and raise his kids there.  I'm not bashing NYC by any means.  I <3 NYC.  I have family that lived/live there and I love to visit it ~ but I also like to return HOME.  In this day and age, it's more than easy to go to NYC for the day to catch a game or see a show and return (i.e. after a day trip or couple of days) to Ohio. 

The weather in Miami is gorgeous.  Yes, I love the beach and the temperatures, but that doesn't mean people want to necessarily live there either.  I've spent many a weekend/week in Miami and enjoyed myself ~ but I still wanted to head HOME after a few days. 

Sure, some basketball players don't necessarily adopt the city they play for as their home in the off-season.  They may rent an apartment/house or trade homes with another player who's also been relocated ~ but still, why shuffle a HOME when you don't have to? 

I used to be engaged to one of  LeBron's teammates.  We were together for 4 years.  I know what it's like to see the guys travel to 41 away games a year.  Basketball is different than other sports in a way that basketball players draw more attention to themselves just because of their height.  They need a place to retreat after practice and in between games.  When you have the comforts of home and everyone that you care about right next to your work, why on Earth would you rock the boat, leave $30 million on the table, and move to a new team?  LeBron is special in that he has the chance to play at HOME, and I think he knows it.

Yesterday 12 more signs went up around Akron, Ohio so that LeBron could see them on his drive HOME from his basketball camps at the University of Akron.  FYI - basketball camp ends tonight.

Photos are courtesy of Dave Soulsby, President of Central Graphics Group.  Coincidentally, I just figured out that Dave is also an Akron alumnus.  Go Zips!

It took Dorothy a tornado, a walk down the yellow brick road, and fights with flying monkeys, before she realized that, "There's no place like home."  So what if it took LeBron a few weeks to come to the same conclusion. 

Big announcement tomorrow (i.e. Thursday) at 9PM on ESPN.

****  And yes, there's a chance I may have to eat this post, but I'm a gambler and I welcome the risk.


THE WIRK

Jason Taylor signs a 2 year deal with the Jets ~ Time to look for a ticket

I just saw that fellow University of Akron alumnus, Jason Taylor, just signed a 2 -year deal with the Jets.  I have very few memories of Jason on campus.  In fact they're so few, I may have dreamt them.  Regardless, I've always been a fan and supporter of my fellow, Zip.  I never made it to see him with the Dolphins, but I just hit that stadium for Super Bowl XLIV.  Regardless, you better believe this girl, will be heading to check out the new New York Jets stadium sooner better than later, now that Jason Taylor is on the roster.

Now I just need to wait until 7PM tonight for the NFL to release its schedule, so I can make my own schedule and work towards completing my stadium tour.  There are still some great stadiums to hit! 

Ok, I've told myself that I'm not going to use other people's images, but since I don't have a pic of Jason Taylor, and I'm getting texts and emails from annoyed women, here's one I found on:
http://www.theinsider.com/news/753601_Shirtless_Celeb_Of_The_Day_Jason_Taylor

You're welcome.


THE WIRK